An axle armature provides support and resistance against bending or misalignment for heavy-duty vehicles. It is commonly made from steel bars or tubing and can be mounted below or welded to the rear of the axle housing. Small cross members can also be added for increased strength. Using axle armor is essential for high-performance vehicles, such as those used in drag racing, to prevent catastrophic axle failure.
An axle armature is a device that is attached to an axle to give it added support and resistance against bending or misalignment. Commonly made from round steel bars or square tubing, the axle truss spans the width or axle from wheel hub to wheel hub while making contact with the center section of the axle. For vehicles that will experience heavy loads, either carrying a large load or hitting the ground hard after jumping over an obstacle, such as vehicles used in desert racing, axle armor is typically mounted below the axle to provide vertical support. For high performance vehicles that will experience severe gravity (G-force) such as in the severe acceleration of drag racing, the armor will commonly be welded to the rear of the axle housing.
Although the rear axle is constructed of heavy-duty materials, the axle tubes are welded to the center section, creating a weak link on each side of the housing. Under severe use, the rear axle can bend or break, causing catastrophic axle failure and potentially wrecking the vehicle. By installing an axle armor, the force exerted on the axle is spread across the full width of the axle, thus creating a much more rigid structure. On four-wheel drive vehicles, such as those used in off-road racing, this applies to both the front and rear axles.
Often small cross members are connected between the arch of the main shaft truss and the shaft tubes. This creates a shaft truss system similar to that used on suspension bridges, where the main cables are supported by small drop cables. Doing this will make the resistance of the axle housing even higher. This method of strength creation is typically used when round bar or flat steel is used to fabricate the shaft armor. When square tubes or three-sided tubes are used to support the axle, the axle armature is usually welded to the rear of the axle housing, essentially attaching the axle tubes to the center section. This is best accomplished with the axle housing jig-mounted to prevent heat from welds from distorting the shape of the housing.
Using axle armor on a drag racing vehicle is often the best method of avoiding a broken rear axle housing. The size of the tires combined with the extreme power of the engine and the traction created can often cause the tires to try to drive around the axle housing. This often leads to one or both axle tubes breaking off the center section of the rear axle.
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